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Sun Catcher by Sheila Rance (view source)
Revision as of 09:30, 10 October 2020
, 09:30, 10 October 2020no edit summary
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|summary=Flame-haired Maia has known she was different from the Cave Dwellers since the day many years before when she and her father Tareth were washed up, half-drowned, on their beach. But now she is thirteen, and her destiny as the Sun Catcher who must save a distant land from failed harvests and starvation is slowly revealed to her.
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But a destiny as solemn and important as Maia's cannot easily be evaded, and when her Naming Day arrives Maia begins to learn, despite Tareth's efforts, exactly who she is. She also realises that there are many who would willingly kill her to possess the power the stone can give, and from that moment on her life is in constant danger.
Like the well-known and well-loved Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by [[:category:Michelle Paver|Michelle Paver]], this wonderful story shows both the simplicity of Bronze Age life, which relies utterly on the vagaries of nature, and the complexity of thought and belief people were capable of at the time. We meet several tribes, ranging from the Untouchables who farm the huge lizards which live along the sea shore to the fierce warriors of the Wolf Kin who attack the coastal settlements with their terrifying wulfen familiars. The book is well-researched and convincing, using a few simple phrases (sun-wake, sea-rise and hand-fast among them) to create vividly the atmosphere of the era and the attitudes of the various tribes without losing the immediacy and emotion of its theme. It is an exciting and engrossing tale, and readers will be happy to know that while this story is complete in itself, another two books about Maia and her companions are promised. We also have a review of Rance's [[Storm Chaser by Sheila Rance|Storm Chaser]].
If you enjoy this splendid mix of the distant past, thrilling adventure and a strong belief in the powers of the natural world, you will also love the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver. Bookbag particularly recommends [[Oath Breaker by Michelle Paver|Oath Breaker]] and [[Ghost Hunter by Michelle Paver|Ghost Hunter]].